Improvement in grass-renovator



N. PETES, PHOTO-LITHOGRAPHER, WASMINGYON D c To4 all to whom thesepresents shall come'.-

an'iwa/Csmw 'Y JAMES c o'ULn*or` LEXINGTON, MASSACHUSETTS.,

e `Leammwmlvo.soesaldad Ma/y 11,1869. s

IMPnovnMENT IN Guss-Runovnron Y v l vl A r y K I The Schedulelrefen'edtoin' these Letters Patent and making` part of the same.

vBe it known that I, JAMES GOULD, of Lexington, in the county ofMiddlesex, and State of Massachusetts, have made an invention'of anewand useful Implement or Grass-Renovator'; Vand do hereby' declare thefollowing to be a full,clear, andexact `description thereo due referencebeing had tothe accompanying drlawlilngs, makingpart of4 thisspecification, and inYr 4W l0 F `Figure/lis a side elevation; Figure 2,a plan.;Y

' igure 3, a vertical and longitudinal section;

igure4,`a",transver`se section through the rear roller, to behereinafter described.

This inventionrelates to means for renovating old grass-lands, such aslawns and croquet-grounds, the

sod of which has been undisturbed for a considerable lengthof time,andvwhere it is desirable toimprove the grass without the necessity ofthe vdi'suse of such 'turfor sod, and the annoyance and expense, aswell`as loss of time attending the breaking -upand sowing p of the land inthe usual manner, the objeet of the inv vention being alsto unearth andsproutseeds which. klie ,dormant in the? soil, and which otherwise wouldj not germinate. .r

` The inventioneonsists inthe Vemployment of a triangular-shaped frame,carrying two converging rows of plow-shapedteeth, substantially inthe-form of or- `dinary cultivators, so called, andlin combining with'``such cultivator one or more cylinders `or-dru'ms, provided with aspirally-arranged series ofshort, sharp knivesyeucircling thefperipheryIof the cylinders or drums', the purposeof these cylinders being toreduceand level the furrow of the earthk thrown iup by thecoltivatori-teeth, but more especially to out small indentations intothesod orturf between the furrows made by the cultivator-teeth, in orderthat a proper fertil-A ize'r .shall incorporate with the soil belowthegrass of the turf, andby-coming incontact with unsprouted u seeds,`causethem to' germinate and perfect.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, making part-lof thisspecification, and 'illustrating my invention-J l .'A denotes acultivator,I made substantially in the ordinary form` of suchimplements, with the exception, j that'its-triangular frame a" bascarectangular. ,exten-` sion, b, at its rear end, for the purpose to beherein- 'after explained. i

The teeth 'of the renovator areshown at c c e, 85o.,

, `its draught-bar beingr shown at d, and its drivers seat `ate.,` l Yl' ffare two rollers or drums, disposed transversely of the' frame oftheimplement,v the journals of such cylinders or drums being supported inadj ustable boxes I or bearings g g, applied to opposite sides of theframe,

and so that one roller is situated at or near the for- Ward 'endof'theimplement, while the other roller is at the rearv part thereof', theobject of the adjustable boxes being toxvary, the height of the rollerswith re `sp'ectto the renovator-teeth'..

Although shown in` the accompanying drawings as applied lrespectivelyAbetween the iirst three teeth, and in rear of the last' teeth of theimplement, the rollers f f may be placed in any convenient position, asnecessity or convenience .may determineV to be best.

The said cylinders ff are provided upon their periphl.

cries with a row of short teeth, or cutting-knives, h h,

' 86e., arranged preferably in a spiral line about such peripherieaandfrom end to end, or thereabouts, of thecylinders, these knives being ofany suitable shape, but as shown in the present instance, being aboutseinieircular` in their longest axis, and with sharp outerl edges. Y

l The bearings of the'rollcrs f f are to have a suitable-means'ofadjusting their height, the forward o ie,

Vespecally, being provided with a means` for lowemig such rollersufficiently to raise the forward end of the implement, and consequentlyelevate theteeth c c c from contact with thel soil.

The fertilizer for enriching the soil, and theseeds Vto be depositedtherein, when necessary, are to be applied to the implement in suchmanner as may be 4hereinafter determined, Aeither separately or .mixedtogether in suitable proportions. f

I havecontemplated 'lacing the fertilizer or seeds separately, or,Atogether, ascireumstances may require, within the rear drum of theimplement, and providing `the drum with outlets and valves, or gates,for

regulating the passage of such fertilizer or seeds.

It may be found, in many instances, desirable to employ theztoothedcylinders alone, and dispense with the use of the cultivator-teeth. l

To eiiect this, it is only necessary to raise the forward end of thecultivator-frame, and elevate its teeth suiiiciently high above thesurface of the rod to pre vent their touching it.

Furthermore, it may be found in many instances desirable to deposit thefertilizer'or the seeds alloue, aswell as together; hence the referenceto the idea `of providing separate receptacles for the same.

The implement above described is to be drawn` along the surface of theground, and if lthe cultivar "tor-teeth"areA depressed, willv break upthe 'ground into small furrows', with unbroken portionsI of turfbetween.

. The rollers .have theeffect of reducingthe` soil raised bythe.cultivator-teeth to about the level of i theturf, while the knives ofthe cylinder have the effect of indenting both the soil and the turf,for reception of the fertilizer or seeds, or both.

Should the cultivator-teeth be raised above the- -surface of the turf,the knives will indent the 'body ofthe turf suiiciently to allow thedeposit of `a small quantity of fertilizer, or seeds, as the case maybe,`

and thus renew the grass, without disturbing, to any perceptible extent,its general surface.

One great value of raising the oultivator-teeth off the ground is, toenable the entire implement to be readily and expeditiously turnedaround.

I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1.Combining with a eultvator` otherwise of ordinary or properconstruction, one or more rollers or drums, provided with a series ofprojections or teeth,

essentially in manner and for the purpose as before explained.

2. The construction of a cuitivator, when provided with the rollersabove mentioned, whereby the teeth ofsuch cultivator may be readilyraised above the surface of the ground,'in manner and to operate asspecified.

JAMES GOULD.

Witnesses EDWARD GRIFFITH, H. G. PARKER.

